Ring-clamping mechanism for milling machines



Filed March' 14. 192'? 4 'sheets-Sheet.

Dec. 10, 1929. G. W. oLs'oN RING CLAMPING' MECHANISM FOR MVILLING MACHINES Filed March 14. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheep 3 (jmenfto MW f' Patented Dec. 10., i 1929.

'encuen w. oLsoN, or Musxaeoir, MICHIGAN nme-cLAMPING 1ancndemsnt` non MILLING-monnaie Application filed March 14, 1927. Serial No. 175,139..

In my Patent No. 1,543,611 dated Jline 23,

j 1925,'there is disclosedv a milling machine at-` i tachment, which includes among other things,

clamping jaws for temporarily holding a pis- 5 ton ring so that it may be operated upon by cutting instrumentalities for splitting the ring, whereby it will have a gap or opening of described configuration. There are various forms of ring ends, all of which depends on the manipulation of the cutting instrumentalities and the position `of the ring relative thereto. A11 examination of the patent will show that `the clamping jaws are comparatively flat. As a result of the `use of 15 such jaws the endsoic a rin would recede or back away from cutters w en encountering the same, because of slippage under the fiat clamping jaws. This resulted in what is comi monly known as open rings, that is, rings.

having too much stock removed and suchv ringswere practically a total loss. Further# more, the inability of the clamping jaws to hold the rings when shifted into engagement with cutters resulted in the ring ends being scraped and imperfectslots or split ends produced, which when gauged for size, had to be discarded. All ofthis contributes to low production and considerable waste. It is in this connection that my invention aims to`increase production and eliminate waste by holding the piston rings so that'the split ends thereot cannot shift during a cutting operation.` Positive and reliable clamping mean are employed for this purpose with the r 3.5 sult thata predetermined cut is accurately made and there is no waste whatsoever from this particular operation on the piston rings.

I also found that my milling machine attachment, as disclosed in my patent, did not 40 aiiord a requisite degree of accessibility to the machine, so I have redesigned my attachment so that a workman can easily observe all operations, quickly manipulate piston rings relative to the milling machine, and 5 safely operate the machine. My improvements may be also considered as more simple in construction, easier to install, and obviously there w-ill be greater efliciency in the operation of cuttin or slotting piston rings to pro- 0 vide a desire joint. a

Reference .will now' be had tothe drawings.. wherein .I Y Figure 1 isfa of a portion of a milling machine includrngmy improvements;

Fig. Qis a-detailsectional view-of a clamping jaw-showing the manner in which it en# gages a piston ring;

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of that portion of the milling machine shown in Fig..1; l 50 Fig.` 4 is .a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the milling machine showin how the offset cutters will produce a steppe joint for a piston ring; A

Fig.`5 is a perspective View of a piston ring 65 split preparatory to having its split ends stepped by ,cutting instrumentalities;

Fig, 6 is a perspective view of a piston ring having a stepped joint;

i Fig, 7 is a front elevation of that orti0n'-70 of the milling machine shownin figs. 1

and 3;

'Fig 8 is a side elevation of aportion of the milling machine showing a ring held for an angle eut;

Fig. 9 is a. plan of the ring holder, and Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view on the line IX-IX of Fig. 9. In order that my improvements may be clearly understood I have deemed it necessary to show a 'portion of a milling machine which includes a bed 1 having a side housing 2 for driven arbors 3 which support *cutters 4 and 5. As a matter of good construction the housing 2 is ordinarily provided with an arm or 85 arbor 6 supporting a bracket or hanger 7 provided. with center bearings 8 for the ends of the arbors 3.'

The bed 1, at the side of the housing 2, is, provided with ways 9 for a. carriage 10, hav- 90 ing a longitudinal rack 11 meshing with a pinion 12 mounted on a shaft 13, journaled in brackets 14, carried by the bed 1 of the machine. On the'outer end of the shaft 13 is a crank 15 by which the shaft 13 may be 95 rocked or rotatedto reciprocate the carriage 10 and shift it back and forth below the driven rotary cutters 4. Obviously a timed or intermittently operated power device may be substituted for the crank 15. I 100 naled in the housing 32. The rear end of the ejector pin 23.

" Adjustabl mounted on the carriage 10'is a hollow tab e 16 provided with a horizontally disposed Worlglfianmpport or ring holder 17,

best shown in igs. 1 and 3. rlhe top of this ring holder 'has an annular recess 18 with an upstanding Wall 19 against which a split piston ring 20 is placed with'the ends 21 ofthe ring at a longitudinal cutter clearance .slot 22 in the ring holder. rEhe ring 20 is adapted to beset in the recess to-snugly engage the annularupstanding wall 19 and to facilitate removing the ring, after it has been operated upon by the-.driven rotary cutters 4 'and 5, the' table 16 is provided with a ring ejector or `elevating device. A prac- .tical embodiment of this ring ejector includes a vertically disposed .ejector pin 23 slidable 1n registering openingsv 24u provided therefor in the table 16 and the ring holder 17.

The .lower end ofthe ejectonpin 23 is pivotally connected/by a link 24 to the vcrank ^`25 of a rock .shaft 26, journaled in the table 16. The crank 25 and the link 24 have the taction of al toggle which permits rocking movement of the shaft 26 reciprocatingr the lln thetable 16 may be a stop pin 27 to limit the. movement of the 'crank 25. n 'l The shaft 26 protrudes fromthe off side of the table 16 and has a crank 28, lconnected by a coiled retractile spring 29 to the table 16. rlhe retractile 'force of the spring 29 retains theejector pin 23 normally lowered.l On the crank 28 isa pin 30 adapted to impinge against an angularly disposed arm 31 fixed on the arbor or arm 6. The arm 31 serves as an Iabutment extending into the path'of travel of the'pin 30, so that as vthe carriage 17 vand table 10 recede from a cutting operation the pin 30 will strike the arm 31 and cause the shaft .2G/to be rocked with the result that the ejector pin 23 is raised and elevates that portion ofthe piston ring` 20 resting on the upper end of the ejector pin.

This vis best shown in where dot and.

dash lines `show the ring having been elevated sufficiently to permitiof a workman removing the ring. f

@n the rear end of the carriage 10 is a housing 32 provided with vertically disposed ways 33 for the slides 34 of horizontally disposed clamping arms 35. The rear faces of the slides 34 are provided with sets of lugs 36 'and extending between said lugs is the head37 0f beam 38 mounted on a rock shaft 39 'jonrf "beam 38 is bifurcated ,to accommodate an anti-frictional roller 40 normally held in engagement with a cam 41 by the retractile force of a coiledspring 42 connecting the beam to the housing 32. rlhe crank 41 is mounted on a rocl shaft 43 journaled in a bearing 44 carrie by the housing 32. One end ofthe rock shaft43 has a slotted head 45 and extending into the slot 46 of said head is a pin 47 cararsenic ried by an angularly disposed arm 48 mounted on the arbor or arm 6.

AsA a result of this constructive arrangement of parts reciprocation of .the carriage 10 and the housing 32 causes the shaft 43 to be rocked, because the head 45 is articulated with the stationary arm 48, consequently the head 45 will be turned and thus rock the shaft 43 to cause the cam 41 to rock the beam 38.,

This beam will reciprocate the slides 34 and raise and lower the clamping arms 35, which extend between the arbors 3 and protrude at the front side of the machine, The reciprocation ofthe slides 34 is such as to dene open and closed positions for the arms 35 relative to the work holder 17. i 1n passing it might be mentioned that the slides 34 maybe the form of a single slide head operatable by the beam 38.

` Detachably connected to the forward ends of the clamping arms 35are'extensions 49 provided with detachable hardenedjaws 50 having beveled faces 51.. The clamping jaws 50 are adapted to engage the inner wall of the piston ring 20, contiguous to the split ends 21 thereof. Downward pressure of'Y the clamping jaws 5() not only firmly seats the rino 20 on the holder 17, but firmly clamps the beveled clamping jaws because the ends of the piston ring cannot yield when encountering the driven rotary cutters 4 and 5..l Each end of the ring is held and if thecutters 4 and 5 are offset, as shown, for producing a stepped joint, such as designated 52 in Fig. 6,. the ring ends will receive a predetermined ico cut with no chance of the ring-ends yielding which would cause a scraping operation and an imperfect4 ring. Another` feature is that of clamping the ring on its inner edge 'whereby the jaws 50 cause no disguration on the side of the ring. i

In operation, the ring 2() is placed in the.

recess 18 of the holder 17 and the carriage 10 moved forward by a throw of the crank 15. J ust before the ring 20 encounters the driven rotary cutters 4 and 5 the clamping jaws 50 engage the split ends of the ring and hold said ends snugly against the wall 19 during the cutting operation. As soon as the ring' clears the'cutters, on aback or recedingv stroke of the'carriage 10, the clamping jaws 5 0 are raised and the ejector pin 23 is suc- -cessively actuated to eject the ring.

1 also attach considerable importance to the clamping arms 35 extendin' lbetween cutter arbors from the re`ar side o the milling machine, because this leaves the front side of the milling machine clear for the manipula- .tion of rings relative to the ring holder. In

other words Vthere is easy access to the ring holder whereby a workman may speed up op-l 4rocked to raise eratlons for a large production.

-As showing the adaptation of my invention for an angularly cut ring, see Figs. 8, -9 and 10, wherein a table or ring holder .60 has auflat surface or face 61 disposed at an angle to the horizontal. The holder has V.a set cf pins or shoulders 62 against which a vring 63 may be placed and cut on a bias by a cutter 64. The ring is held by clamping jaws 65, one of which aifords ample clearance for the cutter 64.. The clamping jaws 65 are supported by slides 66 having lugs 67 engaged by al cross head 68 on a rockable beam 69. On the bea-m is a roller engaging a sta- 'tionary cam arm 71 and when the ring holder carriage is reciprocated, the beam 69 will be and lower the clamping jaws 65. v

Since my invention resides in the table 16, the housing 32, andthe appartenant parts thereof, it is obvious that these devices or at- .tachments are applicable to any milling machine having a reciprocable carriage and provision for supporting the arms 31 and 48 which causes my mechanisms to VVbe operated in timed relation during reciprocation of the 'carriage For this reason I do not care to confine my invention to any particular type of milling machine, and I would also have it understood that the structural elements ent tering into my invention are susceptible to. y such changes as are peration of said cutters-on said ring, movable clamping jaws having beveled work-engaging facesadapted to enter said holder and bear against the inner circumference of the ring to bind the ring in the holder, and means operable by the movement of the carriage for bringing said .jaws into clamping position when said holder is at said cutters.

2. A milling machine embodying a recip rocable carriage, driven rotary cutters, a ring holder on said carriage adapted to have a ring seated therein and held during an operation of said cutters on said ring, movable clamping jaws having beveled work-engaging faces adapted to enter lsaid holder and bear against the-inner circumference of the ring to bind the ring in the holder, means operable by the movement of the carriage for bringing said jaws into clamping position when said holder is Yat said cutters, and a ring ejector carried by said holder and adapted to cooperate with stationary parts of the ma.-

chine to eject a ring from said holder on withdrawal of said holder from said cutters.

3.- A milling machine embodying a recipeA ro/cable carriage, driven rotary cutters, a ring A `70` holder on said carriage adapted to have a ring seated therein and held during .an operation of said cutters on saidring, movabe-'clamping jaws having beveled workfen'gaging faces adapted to enter said holder andbear against the inner circumference of the ring to bind the ring in the holder, and a ring ejector carried by said holder and adapted to cooperate with stationary parts of the machine to eject a ring from said holder on withdrawal of said holder from said cutters. p

4. A milling machine comprising rotary driven cutters,a ring holder having a seat4 adapted to receive a ring to be operated upon by said cutters, jaws adapted to enter said seat at a comparatively outward portion thereof, and means for drawing said jaws i against the innerV circumference of a ring mounted in the seat, wherebyto clamp said ring against the wall of the seat. f

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE W. OLSON. 

